Photographs taken by me of the magazine pages are purely to illustrate the build stages, so that the entire project can be followed from the start to the completed model in issue order. The copyright of Hachette Partworks is acknowledged.

MAGAZINE ISSUE 81 - DRIVERS CAB DETAILS
I had no problems with this build which took me approximately 25 minutes. The magazine articles feature Route 43 from Highgate to Holloway. The second article covers parking problems caused by the increase in car ownership during the 1950's. The introduction of parking meters in 1958 is described, with the first meter being installed in Grosvenor Square, London.

INSTRUCTIONS ISSUE 81 - DRIVERS CAB DETAILS

BUILD ISSUE 81 - DRIVERS CAB DETAILS

MAGAZINE ISSUE 82 - ELECTRICS AND ROOF PANEL
This build started off well with me carefully following the instructions and disconcerting a number of the wires from the circuit board. However my good progress came to a abrupt halt when one of the cables on 75D snapped. Until I rectify this problem, I am unable to continue any further with the electrics, as the next stage is to connect the drivers cab roof to the underside of the upstairs passenger deck floor and run the wiring in tracking under the passenger floor. I telephoned Hachette’s Customer Service line on 24th April and they are reordering issue 75 for me to supply the replacement part. Unfortunately, they do not have issue 75 in stock, so I have to wait for it to arrive. My alternative is to purchase a soldering iron, learn how to solder and fix it myself. I may be limited as to how far I can progress, but a few of the forthcoming issues will allow me to fit the side walls to the upper deck and secure the seats so I will be able to do some more until the replacement part arrives or I have learned to solder, whichever happens first. 

Update: 1/12/20: Having phoned Hachette and told that the issue I need to obtain the replacement switch was not in stock, I purchased myself a soldering iron. Unfortunately because of where the wire snapped, it was possible to solder it, but there was no strength in it and it kept snapping. I had no alternative but to wait. After a delay of almost 4 months, the replacement issue arrived. I was wary of fitting the replacement part in case I broke it again. When I eventually picked up courage, I fitted the new part with no problems at all. I then secured the drivers cab roof to the floor of the upper deck, followed by the roof panel that fits above the bonnet. It was then necessary to track the wires along the underside of the upper deck, again this was completed with no issues at all. As I was able to make some progress on other issues whilst I waited for the replacement to arrive, my build is now complete up to and including issue 85. Several other issues have also been completed up to and including issue 95 which were not dependant on this issue being completed.

The magazine articles features the final part of Route 43 from Holloway to London Bridge and mentions how the Eagle pub just off City Road, is featured in one of the verses of the nursery rhyme Pop Goes the Weasel. The final article features Routemasters in Australia and New Zealand and mentions RM1708, RML2353, RM221, RM1660, RM1670 and RML2724.

INSTRUCTIONS ISSUE 82 - ELECTRICS AND ROOF PANEL

BUILD ISSUE 82 - ELECTRICS AND ROOF PANEL

MAGAZINE ISSUE 83 - BEATNIK GIRL
No building in this issue, but I learned that the term "Beatnik" was introduced into the vocabulary in 1958. A Beatnik person was stereotypically left wing. They had a cool style evidenced in Goatee beards, Striped T-Shirts and sandals. Black American culture was embraced with jazz, blues and rock and roll being favoured types of music. By the 1960's they had developed into the more colourful Hippy culture. The first magazine article is about The London Bus Museum, its origins to date. The second article describes Route 248 from Romford to Hornchurch and the third article describes the introduction of the one person operated bus.

INSTRUCTIONS ISSUE 83 - BEATNIK GIRL

BUILD ISSUE 83 - BEATNIK GIRL

MAGAZINE ISSUE 84 - INTERIOR UPPER DECK WALLS - PART 1
Issues 84 and 85 are virtually identical builds which involve attaching the interior side walls to the upper deck from and attaching the seats to the walls. I found the build to be very straight forward, the most difficulty part was fitting the small screws that held the seats to the side wall in a restricted space. This build took approx 50 minutes to complete. The first magazine article follows Route 248 from Hornchurch to Cranham. The second article made an interesting read and describes the two types of Routemaster's never intended for regular use on London's streets, these being the RMF (Front Loading with Front Engine) and the RMA (Routemaster Airways) which was built for British European Airways.

INSTRUCTIONS ISSUE 84 -  INTERIOR UPPER DECK WALLS - PART 1

BUILD ISSUE 84 - INTERIOR UPPER DECK WALLS - PART 1

MAGAZINE ISSUE 85 - INTERIOR UPPER DECK WALLS - PART 2
The second half of the build to fit the remaining two side walls to the upper deck was as straight forward as the first in Issue 84 and no problems were encountered. The first magazine article details of the start of Route 13 from North Finchley to Golders Green. The second article describes ideas that were designed to improve bus services across London such as flat fares on one person operated buses. The Red Arrow service started in April 1966 and two original routes ran into the 1980's. Two routes were still in operation in 2002 and received the first Mercedes- Benz Citaro Bendy Buses. The Red Arrow name was dropped in 2009, but was reintroduced in 2016. Two routes currently operate these being 507 (Waterloo to Victoria) and 521 (Waterloo to London Bridge).

INSTRUCTIONS ISSUE 85 - INTERIOR UPPER DECK WALLS - PART 2

BUILD ISSUE 85 - INTERIOR UPPER DECK WALLS - PART 2

MAGAZINE ISSUE 86 - FRONT WINDOWS AND ELECTRICS
Please note: Due to the cable breaking in Issue 82, I am not able to complete this issues build. This will be done at a later date when I can either repair the broken part or the replacement arrives from Hachette Partwork.

Update 2/12/20: Having received and fitted the the broken pat from the earlier issue I was now able to complete this build. No problems at all were encountered putting together the front windows. The electrics was fiddly but not overly problematic. There was only one issue, having fitted the extension wire 86L, I tested the conductors bells and the bell cord on the passenger ceiling of the lower deck to find that pulling the cord started the engine noise! I removed the extension cable plugged the original wires back into the circuit board and the bells rang correctly. When refitting the extension cable 86L, I realised when I first connected the extension cable, one of the plugs had not fitted correctly. On testing the bells again, all worked as they should. Fitting the second extender cable 86K, I experienced no issues and the required LED's lit up as expected when I pressed the switch in the roof of the drivers cab.

The first magazine article covers Route 13 from Golders Green to Swiss Cottage. The second article talks about Bus Rallies, Garage Open Days and Bus Running Days and the sighting opportunities that they allow. With the country still in lockdown at the time of writing (during the last week of April), I am still hoping we will be able to visit a bus rally this year. During April I would normally have visited Detling and Brooklands, but sadly both were cancelled. Update: 2/12/20 Sadly I have not attended a single bus rally this year, I was working so unable to make the Showbus drive past. I have also not visited Central London since February this year for one of my regular photographic trips with my friend John Bennett. I still have just the one New Routemaster to photograph to complete the set and photograph all 1000. Perhaps things will have improved when the better weather and lighting returns around Easter time.

INSTRUCTIONS ISSUE 86 - FRONT WINDOWS AND ELECTRICS

BUILD ISSUE 86 - FRONT WINDOWS AND ELECTRICS

MAGAZINE ISSUE 87 - BACK WALL PANEL
With not being able to complete the build in Issue 86, I checked through the forthcoming issues and found I could complete issues 87 to 90 as non involved connecting electrics. I had only one issue with this build when fitting part 79A (Top of the stairs wall), I applied pressure to slide the part into place and when it broke, I realised that I had put pressure on a hand rail at the top of the stairs and not the plastic wall. Luckily a few dabs of modelling glue and the break was repaired (These photographs were taken before I had fully completed the repair). I had no other issues with the build which took me about 45 minutes (including the repair work). The first ,magazine article continues on Route 13 from Swiss Cottage to St John's Wood. I learned that Route 13 passes near to Abbey Road, famous for the Abbey Wood Studios and the famous crossing that the Beatles were photographed in 1969. The second article is called "Causes for Celebration" and gives some examples of glamorous touches added to London Buses, such as Sliver Jubilee livery and George Shillibeer. A couple of other causes to celebrate are mentioned including the completion of the Victoria Line in 1971 and 1974 when the first female driver started work on London's streets.

INSTRUCTIONS ISSUE 87 - BACK WALL PANEL

BUILD ISSUE 87 - BACK WALL PANEL

MAGAZINE ISSUE 88 - UPPER DECK CEILING - PART 1
Issues 88 to 90 were very similar builds involving putting together the ceiling for the upper deck. Build 88 was very straight forward with no issues and too me approximately 30 minutes. The First magazine article is called "Sports and Recreation" and continues on Route 13 as it passes Lords Cricket Ground towards Marylebone. I did not know that Lords Cricket Ground was named after its founder Thomas Lord. Lord played cricket for the White Conduit Club in 1780 for which he was the grounds man. Six years later two leading members of the club, The Duke of Richmond and the Earl of Winchilsea asked Lord to find a private ground for the club. He obtained land that is now Dorset Square and prepared a cricket ground there. The following year the club moved to the ground and renamed it to The Marylebone Cricket Club. Further moves of the club took place and the current site was purchased by Lord in 1814. The second article is about Bus Garage Open Days.

INSTRUCTIONS ISSUE 88 - UPPER DECK CEILING - PART 1

BUILD ISSUE 88 - UPPER DECK CEILING - PART 1

MAGAZINE ISSUE 89 - UPPER DECK CEILING - PART 2
The second ceiling build was very straight forward and involved connecting the two panels from Issue 88 and this Issue together. I experienced no problems with the build. The first magazine article features Route 13 between Regents Park and Victoria. The second article describes how regulation of fares and control of bus services turned political and describes the introduction of the Fares Fair policy by Ken Livingstone the then Leader of the Greater London Council whose manifesto included a commitment to subsidise fares on the Capitals Bus, tube and British Rail services. I remember working in London at the time and the price cuts being brought in, and it saving me a reasonable amount of money (for a young lad in his early 20's). The article finishes with the privatisation of 11 of the separate London Buses Ltd operating units to private buyers between 1994 and 1995. The London Forest unit was the only unit not sold and it was wound up due to poor performance in 1991 and and its routes distributed to other units.

INSTRUCTIONS ISSUE 89 -UPPER DECK CEILING - PART 2 

BUILD ISSUE 89 -UPPER DECK CEILING - PART 2

MAGAZINE ISSUE 90 - UPPER DECK CEILING AND HANDRAILS FOR THE STAIRS
I found this to be very straightforward. The Fitting the screws for the handrail were slightly fiddly, but I managed to successfully fit them without breaking anything! The first magazine article follows Route 44 from Victoria to Wandsworth Town. The second article discusses the growing popularity of Bus Running Days.

INSTRUCTIONS ISSUE 90 - UPPER DECK CEILING AND HANDRAILS FOR THE STAIRS

BUILD ISSUE 90 - UPPER DECK CEILING AND HANDRAILS FOR THE STAIRS

BUILD YOU OWN ROUTEMASTER

ISSUES EIGHTY ONE TO NINETY

This page last updated Wednesday, 02 December 2020